Protesters gathered outside the White House on Saturday to direct their anger at President Trump after days of demonstrations over police brutality against Black individuals, including George Floyd.

The portion of 16th Street leading up to the White House, where D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser had imprinted in large yellow letters “Black Lives Matter,” was filled with demonstrators, including LGBTQ protesters expressing solidarity and anger over racism and police brutality.

Thomas Smith, a gay 40-year-old D.C. resident, said he came to the protest to “stand in solidarity with my brothers and sisters of all races and ethnicities and backgrounds because of really horrifying things that have happened in this country over the past few weeks.”

Watching these events unfold, Smith said he was taken by “the horrifying nature of it all and that there’s a segment of this country who refuse to speak out and stand up for what’s right.”

The viral nine-minute video of Minneapolis police killing George Floyd — which ignited a firestorm of protests across not just in the United States, but across the globe — is but one incident in a series of incidents against Black Americans in recent days.

Others are the killing of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia; the death of Breonna Taylor in a shooting with police in Louisville; a white woman in New York City calling the police on Christian Cooper, a black gay man who told her to obey the rules in Central Park and leash her dog.

Demonstrators before the White House held up signs reading “Black Lives Matter,” “Fire Bad Cops,” “Fuck Trump,” and “How Many Weren’t Filmed.” Visible among the messages were rainbow Pride signs as well as individuals wearing rainbow-themed clothing.

At several points during the demonstration, protesters took a knee in a symbolic stand against systemic racism, at one time amid chants of “I Can’t Breathe.”

One incident of violence not as high-profile is the killing of Tony McDade, a Black transgender man at the hands of police in Tallahassee this week.

At one point, a Black trans activist approached protesters to urge them to remember “All Black Lives Matter,” including the lives of transgender people and transgender kids.

Much of the anger at the protests was directed at Trump, who has faced criticism for his administration’s response to incidents of police brutality, including the forcible removal of protesters from Lafayette Park on Monday just before Trump posed for a photo with a Bible before St. John’s Church.

Following the forcible expulsion of protesters on Monday, the area around the White House and Lafayette Park remained closed to demonstrators, who nonetheless affixed on the fencing in rainbow letters the messages, “Police-Free Schools” and “Defund MPD.”

One flyer distributed among protesters by RefuseFacism.org called for Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to be #OutNow and denounced police killings of black people and a “fascist police state.”

“Trump has unleashed the U.S. military police and threatened to call out the military nationwide to crush the righteous George Floyd protests against police murder,” the flyer says. “An uprising has begun. Day after day, night after night, coast to coast, the streets fill with Black youth refusing to face another day in fear and people of all backgrounds who have had enough of white supremacy and a culture of soul-crushing cruelty.”

The White House didn’t respond to the Washington Blade’s request to comment on President Trump’s message for the protesters. Trump at the White House on Friday spoke favorably about Floyd and imagined him “smiling down” on a “great day for equality,” although those comments were criticized for being tone-deaf.

Steve Taylor, a gay 35-year old D.C. resident, told the Blade on his way to the protest he hopes it would advance visibility for issues around racism and police brutality.

“I think a lot of people don’t truly understand that this is a problem that not just affects Black Americans, but it’s a police brutality problem, a problem with our society in general, and we need to change,” Taylor said. “It’s not just about electing certain people, but it’s about prioritizing the issues that they stand for.”

]]>https://www.washingtonblade.com/2020/06/06/anger-over-racism-police-brutality-directed-at-trump-in-white-house-protests/feed/0Buyers returning to the market in D.C.https://www.washingtonblade.com/2020/06/06/buyers-returning-to-the-market-in-d-c/
https://www.washingtonblade.com/2020/06/06/buyers-returning-to-the-market-in-d-c/#respondSat, 06 Jun 2020 15:33:07 +0000https://www.washingtonblade.com/?p=83159962Hopeful signs that region is bouncing back from COVID-19

]]>Listings are up since April now that shelter-in-place rules are mitigating.

Spring is typically the time of year when listings in the DC Metro area increase. However, with the nation experiencing the current pandemic the market is facing unprecedented times. It is still uncertain what the market will look like in the next few months. What we can do is look at data and do our best to find a possible trend.

Under normal circumstances, April generally sees the D.C. listings increase around 10%. However, this April the number of listings saw a decline of 26.1% due to the stay-at-home orders in D.C., Virginia, and Maryland. As the local market experienced a decline of homes it simultaneously witnessed the price of homes rise. In fact, the month of April brought the highest monthly median sale price the D.C. area has seen in a decade to $507,000. Chris Finnegan of Bright MLS recently stated, “ The DC real estate market preserved this month.” He went on to say that anyone interested in entering the market needs to be aware of the burst of new properties that will be listed once social distancing restrictions mitigate.

Home sales in Arlington and Fairfax counties saw a 20% decrease in sales compared to April of 2019. Listings were down 17.88% from last year, as well. Seeing these numbers can make those entering the market uneasy. Keep in mind that everyone in the D.C. Metro area had spent early April in a shelter-in-place while they prepared for the worst. Even though these are unprecedented times it is common knowledge when fear strikes, people rarely make important decisions such as buying or selling a home. It is not surprising that the COVID-19 pandemic hindered the real estate market. However, now that D.C. Metro area residents are aligning their lifestyle to the new norm buyers are returning and sellers are feeling more confident listing their property.

The norm for buying and selling homes has changed and people are adjusting well. The new norm is listing appointments over video conferencing like Zoom and offering live virtual open houses over apps like Facebook Live and Skype. Many sellers removed their listings at the beginning of April, leading to a lack of inventory. That lack of inventory plus lower interest rates creates competition among buyers, which in turn develops into a seller’s market. Buyers need to be prepared with solid lender approval, and any cash buyers must have proof of funds.

Keep in mind that with the impact of COVID-19 most major regions nationwide saw a dramatic decline in sales and listings between March 31 and April 13. The biggest decline was seen in cities hit hardest by the pandemic, such as Seattle, the New York Metro area, and the Washington, D.C. metro area. However, according to a recent report the most dramatic bounce-back was seen in the D.C. area, where listings under contract have recently climbed 149% from the early days of the COVID-19 panic.

Although the market forecast is uncertain, what we do know is that today’s interest rates remain in line with all-time lows. In the D.C. area, we have seen buyers returning to the market and sellers listing again, offering some hope that D.C. and the surrounding areas are curving back to a rich market.

Washington

Capital Pride #StillWe launches a virtual series of streamed events June and beyond through a partnership with The D.C. Center.

Programs include monthly online town halls, expanded resources available through its website and a shared community calendar. Pride 2020 Reimagined includes new Pride month programming as well as ongoing virtual versions of the D.C. Center’s Reel Affirmations film series, Outwrite Literary Festival and more.

This weekend would typically be D.C. Youth Pride weekend (although they had their 2017 in the fall). No virtual events are listed on either the Youth Pride Alliance website or Facebook page. Organizers did not immediately respond to Blade request for details.

D.C. Leather Pride has been postponed until further notice.

D.C. Trans Pride and Silver Pride (60 and older), usually held in May, may have fall events.

Maryland

Annapolis Pride has cancelled its second annual parade and festival due to COVID-19 concerns and gathering restrictions. But in its place will be an online event live-streamed via YouTube and Facebook on June 27 at 4 p.m. Participants are encouraged to turn their home into a “float” and show off Pride-themed outfits during the virtual event. Visit annapolispride.org to register and for more information.

Baltimore Pride2020, originally scheduled for Saturday, June 20, has been postponed to either August or September, depending how the COVID-19 situation in Maryland and globally unfolds. The community is encouraged to monitor the Baltimore Pride website for further updates.

Frederick Pride events have been postponed due to pandemic concerns. On Sunday, Oct. 4 at 11 a.m. the rescheduled parade will travel along Carroll Creek Linear Park in historic downtown Frederick. Vendor registration is now open at frederickpride.org. News about Pride events and entertainers will be posted at a later date.

Howard County Pride has been postponed due to the spread of the coronavirus. However, they are planning virtual drag queen story times, poetry slams, a talent show and other virtual events throughout Pride month. For more information, email info@hocopride.org or visit howardcountypride.org.

Virginia

Hampton Roads Pride announced on its Facebook page a decision to postpone its 32nd Annual PrideFest, ninth annual Pride Block Party and second annual Pride at the Beach all scheduled for June 19-21, 2020 due to pandemic-related health concerns. New dates have not been announced.

However, Pride Night at Harbor Park hosted by Hampton Roads Pride and the Norfolk Tides has been rescheduled to August 26 at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $13 on Ticketmaster. Continue to monitor this event’s Facebook page for any changes due to COVID-19.

Ghent Pride, presented by the Ghent Business Association and Hampton Pride, has not announced dates for this year’s event. The public is invited to monitor ghentpride.com and its Facebook page for updates as pandemic guidance evolves.

Winchester Pride is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24 at noon in the Downtown Walking Mall. Its third annual Pride celebration will include guest speakers, entertainment and more. For details and information about this event, the Miss Winchester Pride Pageant scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 29, or for possible postponements or adjustments, visit winchesterpridecelebration.com.

No word yet from NOVA Pride, usually held in August. Check later at novapride.org.

VA Pride (Richmond) is also looking to fall with a Sept. 26 event. Details at vapride.org.

West Virginia

Eastern Panhandle Pride in Shepherdstown, W.Va., is postponed indefinitely. Look for the organization on Facebook later in the year for updates. “Alternatives” are being considered, organizers said.

International

Global Pride is June 27 and is an international response to multiple Pride cancellations due to the ongoing global health crisis. This first-ever gathering of the worldwide LGBTQ community includes an impressive slate of speakers to include the President of Costa Rica, Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil of India and more. The show will be livestreamed on the Global Pride website and YouTube, and will be free to view. More information is available at globalpride2020.org.

]]>A scene from the review stand of a past New York City Pride. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Pride festivals around the U.S. have been moved to virtual platforms, postponed or canceled altogether due to the coronavirus and social distancing requirements. Because many events are being moved online, LGBT people and allies now have the option to attend Pride events all over the country.

Some organizations have opted for an extensive list of events for the entire month of June — such as Houston, Seattle and Los Angeles — while others have postponed the festivities or completely canceled events for the year, like Phoenix and Philadelphia.

New York City: The “NYC Pride Special Broadcast Event” is Sunday, June 28, from noon-2 p.m. EST. This broadcast on ABC7 will feature performances by Janelle Monáe, Deborah Cox, Billy Porter, Luísa Sonza and others. The grand marshals of this year’s NYC Pride include writer and producer Dan Levy, The Ali Forney Center and LGBT activists Yanzi Peng and Victoria Cruz. This year, NYC Pride “is committed to saluting front-line workers.” For more information, visit nycpride.org.

Los Angeles: The “L.A. Pride 50th Anniversary Celebration” is Saturday, June 13, from 7:30-9 p.m. PST to be broadcast on ABC7, iHeartRadio social platforms and local radio stations. iHeart Radio will also broadcast daily episodes throughout June featuring LGBT artists and activists and other Pride-related programming.

iHeartRadio Los Angeles and the L.A. Pride association will also launch the “L.A. Pridecast” podcast in June, which will cover LGBT topics and feature a different member of the Los Angeles LGBT community each episode. Learn more about L.A. Pride at lapride.org.

San Francisco: The “S.F. Pride 2020 Online Celebration” will be held on Saturday, June 27 from 1-9 p.m., and Sunday, June 28 from 2-7 p.m. PST. The virtual event will include performances from celebrities, speeches from LGBT activists, DJ sets and drag performances. Learn more at sfpride.org.

Phoenix: The “40th Annual Phoenix Pride Festival” has been delayed to be celebrated in-person on Nov. 7-8. The festival is expected to have 150 entertainment performances and over 300 exhibitors displaying food, shopping and community resources. Learn more at phoenixpride.org.

Dallas: The “Dallas Pride 2020” board of directors has announced the event is going virtual and programming and dates are to be determined. Learn more at dallaspride.org.

Houston: The “2020 Houston LGBT+ Pride Celebration” in-person events have been moved to fall with dates to be announced. But there are several virtual events throughout the month of June, such as a Pride film festival on June 20 at noon, the “Rights of Human” conference with breakout sessions and presentations focused on transgender rights, immigration rights and more, “Pride Stars,” an LGBT talent competition and many other digital functions. Learn more at pridehouston.org.

Philadelphia: “Philly Pride” organizers have canceled the PrideDay Parade and Festival, and no virtual events have been scheduled. “OutFest,” an LGBT film festival scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 11, is still tentative. Learn more at phillygaypride.org.

Chicago: The Northalsted Business Alliance will host “Boystown’s Virtual Chicago Pride Fest” on June 20-21 from 7-9 p.m. CST streaming on the platform Twitch. The event will feature a lineup of entertainment and speeches from LGBT activists. The event is free but will be accepting donations benefitting the Center on Halsted, an LGBT community center, and Howard Brown Health, and LGBT health services center. Learn more at northalsted.com/pridefest.

Seattle: Seattle Pride has a series of events planned throughout June, like Pride book clubs in partnership with the Museum of Pop Culture and “Sans Bar Where You Are” hosted by DRY Soda & Sans Bar on June 19 at 5 p.m. PST on Facebook Live featuring drag queen karaoke and a panel discussion on the issues of sobriety in the LGBT community. There are also events for a younger crowd: “Youth Pink Prom & Pride 2020” hosted by Lambert House on Saturday, June 27 from 5-11 p.m. is specifically for ages 13-22 on the gaming platforms Minecraft Java Edition and Discord. Learn more at seattlepride.org.

“Trans Pride Seattle” organizers have scheduled virtual events for June 26-28, featuring live performances, workshops and film screenings with more details to be announced. Learn more at transprideseattle.org.

Portland: Portland Pride has scheduled virtual events throughout June. The Portland Pride Virtual Festival will take place on Saturday, June 13 from 4-6:30 p.m, featuring performances from local artists, speeches from elected officials and local LGBT organizations. Organizers will stream a recording of the 1999 Portland Pride Parade on Sunday, June 14 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m in “Parade Like it’s 1999!” Other events include karaoke events and performances from local drag queens. Learn more at portlandpride.org.

A chill went through Michael Salazar’s body when, at 16, his mother asked him, without the slightest bit of shame whether he was a “faggot” — not gay or homosexual, but “faggot” — with all the contemptuous charge that this word can contain. The question caught him off guard and he felt himself dying of shame and fear.

“I froze,” Salazar says, 35 years after it happened. “I don’t know where I got courage from and I answered yes. It was then when she told me that I had to leave the house, and that’s it. She didn’t want to have a faggot under her roof.”

This bitter anecdote was heard for the first time by those who follow Spain’s version of MasterChef, a talent show about culinary skills, which began its eighth season this year. Salazar is the first American contestant on the show that airs every Monday on Spanish television.

Salazar, 51, was born in Costa Rica and moved to the U.S. with his family when he was 7. He grew up in Long Beach, Calif., a city he calls his “hometown.”

An English teacher who is a fan of culinary arts, Salazar decided to try his luck in one of the most popular television competitions in Spain, where he has lived for eight years. He currently lives in Barcelona, close to the sea, with his husband, Fernando. The Blade spoke with him about his past, which is full of discriminatory events, and his present in which he has become a kind of celebrity who motivates many LGBTQ youth every time he appears on screen.

WASHINGTON BLADE: How do you remember life with your family in the U.S.?

SALAZAR: My family life, if you can call it that, was not very loving. Sometimes, I try to remember something fun or something that makes me feel nostalgic and it only comes to mind when the Costa Rican team arrived in Los Angeles to play a soccer game. My mother threw a party with her friends to celebrate, but I don’t remember if she won or who she played against. As a child, I imagined that I was adopted and that someday my real parents would come to take me. I saw the families of my friends as if they were on TV, both love and affection, and made me want to stay and live with them. In those years, my mother did not like the fact that I was such an effeminate child. It was a cultural and religious issue of the time. She once told me that I was the ‘family’s disrepute’. I didn’t know what the phrase meant at the time, but I knew it wasn’t good. I was about 8 or 9 years old, but it stuck with me.

BLADE: What happened after that episode where his mom kicked him out of the home for being gay?

SALAZAR: I will start by reminding you that in the 1980s we were in the midst of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the entire gay community was in a panic. They began to organize very quickly, testing for AIDS, giving psychological help and offering shelters for those who had been kicked out of their homes. Gay and Latino youth experienced more discrimination because our families were very religious and traditional. My friends and I joined a support group organized by the MCC (Metropolitan Community Church) in Long Beach and we were helping to raise funds for people who had lost everything to AIDS. They sent me a ticket with a party invitation and my mom read it. When I arrived home from school, she told me that there was a Christian church that turned “faggots and dykes” into “normal” people, and that they had sent me a letter. She asked me why. At the time, I didn’t really understand what was going on and I didn’t even associate it with the MCC. A chill went through my body. I felt myself dying of shame and fear, because I did not know where the thing was going. I replied that I didn’t know anything about that and it was when she asked me if I was a faggot. I froze, but I don’t know where I got courage from and I answered yes. It was then when she told me that I had to leave the house, and that’s it. She did not want to have a faggot under her roof. So, I asked permission to call my sister to see if she would let me stay at her house. She said yes, but to call her quickly. My sister told me to go (to her) home and that I could stay as long as necessary, but … in a few days she was going to Costa Rica to visit relatives and she didn’t know how long she was going to stay. I promised her that as soon as I found a place to stay, I would leave.

BLADE: How did feeling discriminated against by your own family affect you?

SALAZAR: For many years, I felt guilty and I shouldn’t say that I was gay. But I met such good people who helped me understand that it wasn’t my fault and taught me to love myself. Today, I am a happily married man and I see life with optimism. I know there are things that I will not be able to change, but I do my part to be a better person every day.

BLADE: How much has your life changed since then?

SALAZAR: Having gone through that situation has made me more sensitive to other people who experience any form of discrimination. As a teacher, I instill respect in my students. I understand that there are situations that we cannot change, but what we can do is have a more optimistic view of things. I am a living example that everything can improve in life if you give it a chance. I wish that no other person goes through what I went through, but at the same time, I recognize that it is not so easy. Today, through Instagram, many young people contact me telling me that they identify with my story and that makes me very sad, because I know how bad they have it. I try to encourage them and be patient, everything will improve. Many parents also speak to me, asking how they can help their children who have admitted their orientation. I always tell them that there are support groups, both in person and online, and I encourage them to get in touch with them. I can only advise them from my experiences, however, in these associations they have groups of qualified experts who will help them better than I do.

BLADE: You said that when your mother kicked him out of the house, the California government placed you with a gay father. How different was everything from there?

SALAZAR: The Department of Human Services together with the Gay and Lesbian Center in Los Angeles formed a group called Pink Project, which works to place homeless gay and lesbian youth with gay or lesbian parents because other families almost never understood us. I had to live in Burbank, Calif. The one who welcomed me was one of those angels in my life who treated me with great respect and affection, and although I only stayed at his house for a few months, he left such a positive mark on my life that I dare to say that I am who I am, thanks to him.

BLADE: Have you ever felt discriminated against again?

SALAZAR: Unfortunately, yes. In my case, I have been discriminated against on many occasions for three reasons: For being Hispanic, gay and dark, everything that racists hate. I was very sad at first, because I felt it was the never-ending story. Afterwards I developed a thicker skin and I didn’t let it affect me so much. I am happy with who I am and I have people who love me just the same.

BLADE: And how did you end up living in Spain?

SALAZAR: I was working for a great phone company in Victorville, Calif. I made a lot of money, but at the same time it was very hard and I had a lot of stress. I had no life, I was not happy there, I wanted a change. I started traveling within the continent (North America) and nothing. So, I decided to seek out Europe. I went to London, to Paris and when I got to Madrid I said, “Oh! This is it!” I had an immediate connection to Spain and decided to come live here. That was in 2010 and, by the end of 2012, I was already living here in Barcelona.

BLADE: Why do you like life in Spain?

SALAZAR: Living in Spain is very pleasant. As a Hispanic-American I find many similarities with our culture, but here the history is more preserved and can be seen in its palaces, in its castles, in its streets … in short, in everything around it. Unlike what happened to me in the United States, where I lived to work, here I feel that I work to live, and I live very well. I have a new family and some friends who are like my family too. It is incredible that a country as small as Spain has so much cultural diversity, such as the Basques, the Catalans, the Galicians, the Andalusians … Wherever you go you find something interesting. Also, the people in Spain are very nice and welcoming. It is impossible not to fall in love with this country.

BLADE: However, you also fell in love with your current husband …

SALAZAR: Fernando and I met online. I had already planned to go to Barcelona and, once there, we met. That was at the end of 2012 and since then we started seeing each other almost every day. It was very nice. After a few months, we moved in together. On Aug. 4, 2017, we got legally married here in Barcelona. We have been a couple for eight years and married for three years.

BLADE: Do you feel part of the LGBTQ community in Spain?

SALAZAR: I am openly gay and although I am not involved in LGBTQ organizations today, when I lived in Victorville we founded the High Desert Equality, a group for socio-cultural activities, in February 2009 with some friends. Here in Spain, especially due to lack of time, I do not belong to any organization, but I do not rule out doing it soon.

BLADE: Where does your passion for cooking come from?

SALAZAR: I always liked cooking, but before I only did it more out of necessity than pleasure. For about 15 years now I started to try out new recipes and cook with different mixtures of flavor and textures, but always focusing on the traditional. In my travels — I love to travel — I have learned a lot from different gastronomic cultures and I have always tried to capture them in my dishes. This has given me more breadth when it comes to cooking. I love that my friends enjoy something that I have cooked.

BLADE: Why did you decide to join “MasterChef”?

SALAZAR: The first time I saw “MasterChef” was in 2014 and I liked it, but I couldn’t follow it due to schedule issues. In 2015, I changed my work schedule so I could watch it in full. I was so impressed that I started looking for the recipes they made and practiced them at home. I remember at first I told Fernando that someday I was going to become part of that program. I was very excited just thinking about everything I would learn. Last year, while we were watching the edition of MasterChef Celebrity I saw that they announced MasterChef was still looking for new contestants. I opened the computer and filled out the application. And after a tough selection process, here I am!

BLADE: How have you felt so far in the contest?

SALAZAR: The talent show is very difficult, but I love it. If you ask me if I recommend it, I say 1,000 times yes. Not only because of what you learn, but also because of how all the people on the show treat me: The jury, the production workers, the cameras, the makeup artists, the hair stylists … It has been a wonderful experience.

BLADE: What have been your most difficult moments so far on the show?

SALAZAR: I think that the most difficult thing for me is living with my colleagues. I’ve never been in an environment with people so different from me, and look, I’m from Los Angeles!

BLADE: Do you think that being a foreigner and gay has put you in a different position in relation to your peers?

SALAZAR: Before they selected me among the last 50 contestants, my friends said I would have more opportunities because I was gay and Latino. I almost believed it, but when I saw that in the last tryout the LGBTQ community was already very well represented, I thought, “Will I be selected for being a foreigner?” But they also called other people from different countries like Cuba, Belgium, China, Morocco, so I don’t think being a foreigner or gay had anything to do with it, it was my kitchen.

Shine Iberia, the production company that produces “MasterChef Spain” and that is part of the international Endemol Shine Group, told the Blade that the inclusion of LGBTQ people in their productions is unequivocal. Successful programs in Spain, such as “MasterChef”or “Maestros de la Costura” in episode after episode promote the visibility and normalization of all groups and of course the LGBTQ community, showing through their talent shows what people are like regardless of their origin or option.

“It is worth noting the recent presence of Michael in this eighth season of MasterChef, a season in which Saray, a transgender Roma woman who has shared kitchens with Michael and the other 15 applicants, has also taken part,” said Shine Iberia.

BLADE: What has the program taught you so far, professionally and personally?

SALAZAR: Thanks to “MasterChef” I am perfecting myself in the things I already did. I am also learning techniques that alone would have been very difficult. Personally, I tell you that now I appreciate more time with my partner and my friends, details that before did not give much importance, now I value them more.

BLADE: How much of its roots are in your dishes?

SALAZAR: A lot. We in California are lucky to have a lot of Mexican influence, which at the same time has a lot to do with Spanish food. In the United States, we grow with a wide variety of foods from all over the world. All that influence has helped me to improvise faster than the rest of my teammates in the different tests.

BLADE: How about the relationship with the judges and the rest of the teammates?

SALAZAR: When we are not taping, you have the opportunity to chat with the judges and for me they are very close and charming people. I personally have gotten along very well with all three, but I must admit that Samantha Vallejo-Nágera has left the best impression on me. As for my colleagues; I have more relationship with Teresa, Adrienne, Sito and Mónica.

BLADE: How do you feel during the taping? What feelings do you experience?

SALAZAR: There is a whirlwind of emotions on and off the set. It is a combination of stress, nerves and adrenaline. I have a better time during the tapings. Everyone treats us very well, from the cleaners to the managers. It is another world! I love it.

Michael Salazar (Photo courtesy of RTVE)

BLADE: How has the Spanish public received it?

SALAZAR: Very good. On social media networks, they do not stop supporting me. Since I came to Spain for the first time as a tourist and until now I have felt at home. The people here are very welcoming and make you feel like one of them. They make me feel very loved.

BLADE: What are your biggest aspirations in the culinary world?

SALAZAR: I have always dreamed of having my own business related to cooking. I thought about setting up a small restaurant that would only be open in the evening. But already with the experience I have I know that the best thing for me would be a catering service. In fact, I am in contact with my colleague Teresa to, in the not too distant future, will be able to start something here in Barcelona. Who knows if in the future it can open a subsidiary in Los Angeles or in Washington, D.C.

BLADE: What would it mean for you to get the “MasterChef Spain” trophy?

SALAZAR: Winning the title of “MasterChef Spain” not only represents money or fame, it is also having achieved one more of my goals. The opportunity to study at the Basque Culinary Center is something you would never have imagined. Everything you could learn and the experience you would gain … it would be great.

BLADE: Have you returned to the United States?

SALAZAR: Yes. Last summer, Fernando and I went for a walk and visited my family and friends. We were in Orlando, San Francisco, Long Beach (of course), Hollywood, Las Vegas, and other cities. We were there for three weeks and, of course, we didn’t have enough time to see everything we wanted. We are thinking of taking another trip through places that we do not know, such as New Orleans, Washington, D.C., Cleveland or New York and many others.

BLADE: What ties do you have with California and the U.S.?

SALAZAR: I have many friends in California with whom we maintain contact and also my host father. In Long Beach, I have an aunt who I love very much. And in Florida I have my sister who I adore. America will always be my home. I am and will continue to be American. I have spoken to my husband that in the future, when we are retired, we could go live in Cocoa Beach. (Fla.).

A D.C. Black Lives Matter March is Sunday, June 7 at 3 p.m. beginning at Dupont Circle.

This peaceful march is planned in protest of the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and others who are victims of race-based violence over the past few years and to call for additional police training as well as other institutional reforms.

]]>Singer Linda Ronstadt is the subject of a new documentary being screened for free online. (Photo courtesy PCH Films)

The documentary “Linda Ronstadt: the Sound of My Voice” will be presented free now through June 10 in a special online presentation from nonprofit BrightFocus Foundation.

The film follows one of the world’s best-selling artists as she defied genres and paved the way for her own sound and place in the world. Illustrated with concert footage, interviews with musical legends like Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Jackson Browne and narrated by Ronstadt herself, viewers will learn of her glorious career rise and untimely retirement in 2011 due to a neurodegenerative disease.

As bonus materials, the at-home movie night will feature an introduction from producer James Keach, as well as key scientists discussing their research funded by BrightFocus Foundation on ending diseases of mind and sight.

]]>Iyanna Dior was attacked in St. Paul, Minn., and the incident was caught on camera. (Photo via Facebook)

Police in St. Paul, Minn. are urging a 21-year-old transgender woman who was attacked and beaten on June 1 by more than dozen men at a St. Paul convenience store that was captured on video to report the incident to police, who are eager to apprehend the attackers.

According to St. Paul police spokesperson Steve Linders, the victim, who identifies herself on Facebook as Iyanna Dior, never contacted police about the incident. Linders told the Washington Blade that he is unaware of either an employee or another customer at Sana’s Market convenience store at 1541 Maryland Avenue East in St. Paul having called police about the incident.

Most social media accounts of the incident incorrectly reported it took place in the neighboring city of Minneapolis and that it occurred at a gas station. Linders said there is no gas station located at the site of the convenience store where the incident took place.

A video that captured the incident and which has gone viral shows at least a dozen if not many more mostly men and one or two women punching and kicking Dior inside a store while shouting and screaming at her. One or two people who appear to be store employees standing behind a counter appear on the video to be trying to help Dior by separating her from the attackers.

Although unconfirmed reports on social media have said the incident started after a “fender-bender” car accident at or near the convenience store, Linders said police have yet to determine what triggered the attack.

“Our investigators are doing everything they can to find her,” said Linders. “So hopefully we can reach her and hopefully she wants to make a complaint and then we can move forward with the investigation,” he said.

“What was shown in that video is beyond troubling,” Linders told the Blade. “And we want to do everything we can to first make sure that she’s OK and second find the people who assaulted her and hold them accountable. And we’re working many different angles to make that happen.”

The Blade sent Dior a Facebook message asking to speak with her to get her first-hand account of what happened. She had not replied as of Friday afternoon.

The attack against Dior occurred at a time when protests, some of which have become violent, erupted in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and across the country over the death of African American Minneapolis resident George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. A video capturing that incident shows the officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck as Floyd shouted that he could not breathe.

Prosecutors in Minneapolis have charged the police officer who placed his weight on Floyd’s neck, essentially choking him to death, according to authorities, with second-degree murder. Three other officers on the scene have been charged with accessory to a murder.

Linders said St. Paul Police would not speculate on who it was that committed the attack until they compile the evidence they need to make an arrest.

“I don’t want to do a disservice to her by speculating on how this happened until we talk to her and find the people responsible,” he said. “So I don’t want to speculate on what people heard online. We need to talk to her to find out with precision why this happened and make sure she’s OK first and foremost.”

Out Front Minnesota, a statewide LGBTQ rights organization, issued a statement on June 3 condemning the attack and assault on Iyanna Dior, calling it yet another in a long list of attacks on transgender women of color in recent years.

“In 2019, at least 26 transgender people were murdered in the United States, and the vast majority of those killed were Black transgender women,” the statement says. The statement identifies by name each of the trans people killed in 2019, including two black trans women who were shot to death in Prince George’s County, Md., just across the D.C. line – Ashanti Carmon and Zoe Spears.

“This violence has got to stop,” said Tori Cooper, director of community engagement for the Human Rights Campaign’s Transgender Justice Initiative, in an interview with Rolling Stone. “Black lives matter and that includes trans, nonbinary, queer, cis and straight black lives,” Cooper told Rolling Stone.

“All of our hearts should hurt watching the video of this young trans woman being hit by a group of people,” she said.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The nephew of Harvey Milk on
Thursday expressed his support for those who are protesting against police
brutality in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

“I’m inspired by the protests,” Stuart Milk told
the Washington Blade during a brief interview at a Fort Lauderdale restaurant.
“I am really hopeful that maybe we can create some systemic change.”

Milk spoke with the Blade less than two weeks after Floyd died after then-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck.

Minnesota prosecutors have charged Chauvin with
second-degree murder in connection with Floyd’s death. The Associated Press notes the three
other now former police officers who were with Chauvin face charges of aiding
and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Christopher Street West, the group that organizes Los
Angeles’ annual Pride parade, has
announced it will hold a march “in response to racial injustice,
systematic racism and all forms of oppression.” Milk told the Blade he
“would like to see more of that and hopefully one day we can do that on
our global scale.”

“It’s been nine days … sometimes we see these things
really light up and then fizzle out and then we move on to something
else,” he said. “It’s my hope and desire that we don’t move on and
that we as an LGBTQ community keep that fire burning.”

“Unless there is justice for everyone in the United States there is justice for no one,” added Milk.

A memorial to Ahmaud Aubrey at the entrance to the neighborhood in Brunswick, Ga., where he was killed on Feb. 23, 2020, while jogging. Travis and Gregory McMichael have been charged with murdering Aubrey, who was black. William “Roddie” Bryan, who recorded the shooting, also faces charges. The three suspects are white. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

Milk on Thursday also talked about the Trump administration’s campaign to encourage countries to decriminalize consensual same-sex relations.

The White House last year tapped outgoing U.S. Ambassador to
Germany Richard Grenell to spearhead the initiative.

The U.S. Embassy in Germany last summer hosted a group of LGBTQ rights activists from around the
world. Grenell and U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Kelly Knight Craft late last
year organized an event on the sidelines of a U.N.
Security Council meeting that focused on efforts to decriminalize homosexuality
around the world.

“The campaign has had some deep back door discussions
that I think are important,” Milk told the Blade. “It’s important that
we keep global LGBT rights moving forward.”

Milk added “its just totally unacceptable that we have
over 70 countries where it’s still illegal and criminalized to be LGBT.”

Although Lady Gaga has never had an out-and-out bomb, she lost her footing a bit with her 2013 album “Artpop.”

Her fans point to its decent chart performance (it debuted at no. 1 and went platinum) and say that’s more perception than reality, but she was starting to experience a law of diminishing returns. The danceclub hits and outrageous fashion upon which she built her brand didn’t resonate the same way five years into her career.

She wisely recognized that and veered hard left making an album with Tony Bennett (of all people; 2014’s “Cheek to Cheek”), recapturing the pop culture zeitgeist with movie debut “A Star is Born” (pleasantly, she actually can act) and go mellow and subdued with her last studio album, 2016’s more singer/songwriter-oriented “Joanne.”

“Chromatica” (out May 29) is her official return to form. It all goes down breezily enough — it’s an easy, catchy listen — yet it’s also not quite the reclaiming of the pop diva throne she clearly intended it to be. It’s good, not great; her fans will love it and it will make a respectable chart dent but creatively she’s painted herself into a corner. While some of her unexpected (at the time) career swerves served her well and were well received, you can’t build a whole career on stunt casting — the meat dress! the Tony Bennett duets! “American Horror Story”! a “normal” album from kooky Gaga! Stuff like that only gets you so far then you’re kinda back where you were five years prior (albeit with an Oscar in tow).

Eventually you have to return to the business of doing what it is you supposedly do and a decade in to her admittedly impressive career, it feels like she’s reaching the bottom of her bag of creative tricks. “Chromatica” suggests to me we’ll look back on her in 50 years more as a Petula Clark (the singer of a decent string of era-defining standards)-type figure rather than a Bette Midler or, heck, even a Kelly Clarkson.

Gaga takes the “Confessions on a Dancefloor” approach here — there’s not a ballad in the batch. Track after track — first single “Stupid Love,” “Plastic Doll,” “Replay” and dozens more — are full of big, luscious, vaguely ’80s-tinged club beats courtesy of producer BloodPop (Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, et. al.), and melodies that take advantage of her impressive set of lungs. The lady can sing — nobody is arguing otherwise.

But it all gets a little samey sounding by the album’s end and a trio of orchestral interludes (dubbed “Chromatica,” “Chromatica II” and “Chromatica III”) sound like they were yanked off some poor man’s Ralph Vaughan Williams imitation attempt and tacked on for contrast and gravitas. They backfire though, sounding like ludicrous non sequiturs.

Lyrically there’s nothing terribly interesting happening but the guest spots — Ariana Grande on second single “Rain on Me,” K-pop girl group Blackpink on “Sour Candy” and Elton John on “Sine From Above” — work slightly better than you’d think. She doubles John’s vocal an octave above to pleasant effect. Glammy, campy (but fun!) final song “Babylon” had me picturing the “Queer as Folk” cast on the dancefloor.

Indigo Girls

Look Long (***1/2)

Rounder Records

It’s easy to take the Indigo Girls for granted. Although it’s been five years since their last studio album (2015’s “One Lost Day”), they keep busy with constant (pre-COVID-19) touring, regular solo outings from both members (Emily Saliers and Amy Ray, both lesbians) and even a live symphony album “Indigo Girls Live with the University of Colorado Symphony Orchestra” (2018).

Their new album “Long Look,” (May 22) however, is a pleasant reminder that not only are they greater vocally than the sum of their parts — their harmonies are truly heavenly — their songwriting is so assured and mature, they’re doing some of their best work now ages after aging (sadly) out of commercial relevance. John Reynolds, who also produced their 1999 album “Come On Now Social,” is back at the reins.

Standout cuts are the groovey, swampy opener “Shit Kickin,’” dance-around-the-campfire-esque “Howl at the Moon,” the plaintive title cut (in which they sound vocally as lovely as Emmylou Harris) and sonic curveball “Favorite Flavor.” Musically overall, this is Americana.

Topics are lyrically varied. “Feel This Way Again” is an urge to teens to savor emotions, album closer “Sorrow and Joy” is a well-crafted examination of ‘80s-era politics and it varies outward from there. Only occasionally (the chorus of “Flavor” or the slightly cloying “Country Radio”) do things feel a tad forced.

Perfume Genius

Set My Heart on Fire Immediately (*1/2)

Matador

Perfume Genius (aka Michael Hadreas) is back with his fifth album (it dropped mid-May) and while it’s more accessible (which isn’t saying much) than his previous efforts — some tracks actually feel like songs — it’s still a tough listen and something you have to be in the mood for.

Atmospherically, there’s a lot here to appreciate — the dreamy, ethereal “Whole Life,” the gauzy, fuzzy rock guitars on “Describe,” the retro organ underpinnings of “One More Try” and so on. One senses here that no instrumental choice or sonic effect was chosen haphazardly; Hadreas (38 and gay) and producer Blake Mills (who returns after 2017’s “No Shape”) took obvious care and mood and texture, to them, is everything (it certainly trumps melody and tempo).

The degree to which you like this album will be proportional to how much avant garde you can stomach. I tried to just close my eyes and savor it on its own terms but I also couldn’t wait for it to be over. The too-precious-by-half, whispery falsetto vocals on “Jason,” the plodding, uncategorizable “Your Body Changes Everything” and the sonic whiplash of “Some Dream,” which sounds like silly nonsense, had me itching to go put on some Jonas Brothers.

In fairness, though, could this be one of those magical albums that just needs time to seep into your pores? An album you endure on the first listen but can’t get enough of three months later? It’s a fair question, but I’m going with no. Texture solely for the sake of texture — and that’s what this feels like — just isn’t enough for me.

Adam Lambert

Velvet (***1/2)

Empire Distribution

An album you might have missed (somehow I did) that dropped in late March is the new Adam Lambert project “Velvet,” the gay “American Idol” runner-up’s fourth.

Lambert here manages to hit that sonic sweet spot where the production sounds both retro yet uber contemporary. There’s a funky, groovy, ’70s/Stax vibe here but also a 2020-kind of top coat on everything that sounds utterly of the moment.

Stylistically it’s still varied. “Superpower” is slutty and all attitude, “Loverboy” is a neo-disco shuffle, “Comin’ in Hot” is slinky and skanky and “Love Don’t” is a gritty rocker. “Ready to Run” has rock swagger and gospel organ accents. First single “Roses,” a duet with Nile Rodgers (of Chic) has lovely hooks and atmosphere to spare. It’s a romantic kiss-off to a lover who offers gestures but little else.

There are only a handful of slow songs, a straightforward piano ballad (“Closer to You”) and closer “Feel Something,” the album’s only pensive, moody moment.

Only occasionally and fleetingly does Lambert fumble — a weak chorus on “New Eyes,” a couple spots where the hooks aren’t quite enough to undergird the swagger and energy, but even then, Lambert’s shimmering whale of a voice — his calling card — is enough to sustain pleasure throughout. This is my summer car album for sure.